Machine for end-seaming sheet-metal bodies.



PATBNTED APR. 11, 1905.

v M. J. KENNY. MACHINE FOR, END SE'AMING SHEET METAL BODIES.

APBLIIOATION 111L315 APR. 18, 1904.

4SHEETS-SHEET1.

v PATENTED APR. 11,1905.

. M. J. KENNY. MACHINE FOREND SEAMING SHEET METAL BODIES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18,1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 vNH.

No. 786,973. PATENTED' APR. 11, 1905. I

M. J. KENNY.' MACHINE FOR END .SEAMING SHEET METAL BODIES.

APPLIUATION FILED APR.18, 19051.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED APR 11, 1905.

M. J. KENNY. MACHINE FOR END SEAMING SHEET METAL BODIES.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 18, 1904.

4 SHEETS-483E111 4.

M'irze s'sed: 4 523W. %.%14a

UNITED STATES Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE FOFi END-SEAMING SHEET-METAL BODIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '78 6,973,, dated April11, 1905. Application filed April 18, 1904. Serial No. 208,570.

T aZZ whom, it may concern:

. ies, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings,.is

a specification, like characters on the drawings representing-likeparts.

This invention relates to machines for endseaming sheet-metal bodies,and has for its object particularly to construct a machine forend-seaming flangeless bodies to produce the sheet-metal article shownin my application for Letters Patent Serial No. 201,408 and embodyingthe method of making the same which is shown in my application forLetters Patent Serial No. 190,637. The article shown in my applicationSerial No. 201,408 consists of a body having heads or ends securedthereto, said article being" used as a can for packing sardines and thelike, and the essential feature of novelty consists in a filling-stripformed integral with the head or end which is inclosed within the seamby which the head or end is attached to the body and which when the seamis severely compressed acts to crowd the inner folds of the scam in suchmanner as to close all crevices or recesses. In the manufacture of thisarticle I employ as the essential parts thereof a flangeless body andahead or end having a bent seaming-flange which is placed upon and whichincloses the flangeless end of the body, and by suitable means-as, forinstance, by the machine forming the subject-matter of thisapplicationthe outer portion of the seaming-flange on the head is firstpressed inward against the body. Then the seaming flange, together withthe flangeless end portion of the body, is drawn outward while theextreme edge of the seaming-flange is held. Then the seaming-flange andinclosed portion of the body are bent and drawn downward while saidextreme edge of the seaming-flange is still held. Then theseaming-flange and inclosedportion of the body are bent inward againstthe body and severely compressed, the edge of the seaming-flange beingthereby'inclosed and compressed and acting as a filling-strip to crowdthe inner folds,

of the seam in such manner as to close all crevices or recesses. Themachine embodying this invention is adapted to attach either end to theflangeless body. Therefore when speaking of the head it will beunderstood that I mean either end of the article.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a machine for end-seaming sheet-metalbodies embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machineshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isan enlarged front elevation of one of theheading orseam-forrning devices of the machine and -Fig. 7 is acrosssection of the post bearing a platen, taken on the dotted line -77, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the actuating device for the leverswhich operate the jaws. Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section of thecenter head of the first heading or seam-forming device. Fig. 10is aplan view of the set of expanding dies of the center head shown in Fig.

9. Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical section of the center head of thesecond heading or seamforming device. Fig. 12 is a vertical section ofthe center head of the third heading or seam-forming device. Fig. 18 isa detail of the Worm employed for intermittingly operating thefeed-chain. Fig. 14 is a detail of a .portion of the table on which theflangeless body, with an unattached head thereon, is placed and aportion of the feed-chain by which said parts are conveyedto the firstheading or seam-forming device. Fig. 15 is a vertical section of theessential parts of the second heading or seam-forming device.

the seam, showing the relative positions of the several portions orfolds as the seam is formed. Fig. 22.is a vertical section of the secondheading or seam-forming device, the center head .and platen being raisedso as to Figs. 16 to 21 are sectional details of 9 seaming-flange.

raise the article to free the jaws. Fig. 23 is a plan view of one of thejaws of the second heading or seam-forming device.

The machine comprises, essentially, three seam-forming or headingdevices and a feeding device for automatically feeding the uncompletedarticles successively thereto. The feeding device consists of an endlessfeedingchain n, composed of two parallel sets of loosely-connectedlinks, which are loosely connected together by cross-bars, and saidfeeding-chain passes over two chain-wheels a at one end of the machineand over two chainwheels n at the other end of the machine. Thechain-wheels a are mounted on a shaft and are adapted to operate as idlewheels, and the chain-wheels n are secured to a shaft n bearing aworm-wheel n, which is engaged by a worm 02?, secured to a shaft a,bearing a pinion M, which is engaged by a pinion a", secured to a shaft05', bearing a toothed gear of", which is engaged by a pinion a",secured to a shaft a, bearing a bevel-gear a, which is engaged by abevel-gear a, secured to the main driving-shaft a. The worm n is of aspecial form in that it has its grooves eX- tended spirally for aportion of its circumference, as shown in Fig. 13, and transversely forthe remaining portion, and by such form of worm the chain-Wheels of,which serve as the driving chain-Wheels for the feed-chain n, willoperate to drive said chain-wheels v2. for a definite distance and thencease, thereby providing a feeding device for intermittingly movingalong the uncompleted articles.

0 represents a horizontal table which forms a part of the machine-frame,and that portion of the feed-chain at between the chain-wheels n n issupported upon and moves along on said table, and the uncompletedarticles to be fed along are dropped into the openings of the feed-chainonto the table and are moved along on the table by the feed-chain. It isobvious that other forms of intermittent feeding devices may be employedto accomplish this result and also other forms of actuating mechanismfor the feed-chain without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

A fiangeless body, having a head secured to one end or not, is droppedinto one of the openings of the feed-chain 11 onto the table 0, and uponthe flangeless end of said body a a head 6 is placed, Which is providedwith a The seaming-fiange, which is formed on the head 6 preparatory toplacing said head on the flangeless body, comprises an upright portion 6and an outwardlyextended portion 6 The feed-chain it moves the body a,with the unattached head supported thereon, along on the table 0 intoengagement with the first heading or seamform ing device. This headingor seam-forming device is adapted to press inward the portion 5 of theseaming-flange on the head (see Fig.

16) into engagement with the body a (see Fig. 17) and then, whileholding the extreme edge of said portion 6 to draw outward the upperportion of the seaming-flange, together with the upper end of theflangeless body (1., which is inclosed by it, (see Figs. 18 and 19,) andthen release the article preparatory to its being moved along to thenext heading or seamforming device.

The first heading or seam-forming device, as herein shown, isconstructed as follows: The table 0 has a hole 0 through it, or a recessin which is placed a platen c. which serves as arest or support for thearticle while the head is being applied. The platen c ishercin shown ashaving on its upper face a projection 0, adapted to enter a shallowrecess in the lower end of the article provided a head has beenpreviously secured thereto having such shallow recess or to enter thelower end of the flangeless body if ahead has not been applied, and saidplaten c is mounted upon a stem which passes down through a sleeve 0,mounted to slide freely in a fixed bracket 0, attached to the under sideof the table. The stem a" has secured to it a collar 0", and a spring 0encircles said stem, the upper end of which bears against said collarand the lower end of which bears upon the end piece 0 secured to thelower end of the sleeve. A yielding connection is thereby providedbetween the stem bearing the platen and the sleeve. The sleeve hassecured to-it a laterally-projecting arm 0", having a short dependingarm provided with a pin 0 with or withouta roller thereon, which isadapted to engage a cam-disk a which is secured to the main shaft a. Asthe shaft 11. revolves the cam raises the sleeve and the platen c iscorrespondingiy raised, together with the article which is placed uponit by the feed-chain. The platen is yieldingly supported particularly toprovide for variations in the dimensions of the article and to therebyobviate the necessity of repeated adjustments, which would otherwise berequired. The article is raised by the platen up against a center head,consisting of a plated, rigidly secured by screws 2 or otherwise to aplate a, which is attached to a similar plate having a center post orstem (Z which is vertically su pported in a yoke or frame (F, mounted onthe table. The plate (Z of the center head is of suitable shape to enterthe shallow recess in the head 6 formed by the seaming-flange, and theedges of said plate (1 are preferably slightly beveled, so that as theflangeless body and unattached head 6 thereon are moved up against saidplate d the upper edge of the fiangeless body will be bent outwardslightly; yet this is not material. When the platen has raised the bodyand unattached head into firm engagement with the center head, it willbe positively held while the seaming-flange is manipulated. Around thecenter head four main jaws are provided, made as horizontallydisposedplates 6, mounted on suitable supporting-plates and having angularengaging faces or edges to engage the corners of the article andport-ions of the sides thereof, so that the four jaws completely embraceor surround the article. These main jaws e are moved in and out inhorizontal planes by levers e, which project through holes in said jawse and which are pivoted at e to ears 6 depending from the table andwhich extend down into engagement with a suitable actuating device,which is constructed and arranged to simultaneously operate all thelevers, and thereby move all the jaws. The jaws e are fitted to slide inguideways 0 provided on the table. Auxiliary jaws e are superimposed onthe main jaws a, which have angular engaging edges or faces like thejaws e, and said auxiliary jaws c are made as plates having slots 6which receive pins projected upwardly from the jaws e, and strongsprings 0 one for each jaw 6 are interposed between an adjusting-screw.0 and the rear edge of the jaw 6 which acts to force said jaw forwardbeyond the engaging edge of the jaw a, yet permits it to yield whenrequired. The auxiliary jaws 0 being supported upon the main jaws e aremoved, with said main jaws, by the actuating-levers e. As the severalmain and auxiliary jaws are moved inward the extreme edge of the portionb of the seaming-flange is first engaged by the auxiliary jaws and bysaid jaws is pressed inward toward the body, and as said portion ispressed inward its extreme edge is gradually brought down into positionto be engaged by the main jaws a, so that when said main and auxiliaryjaws have completed their inward movement the portion 6 of theseaming-flange will be pressed firmly into engagement with the body, andthe extreme edge of said portion will be held by the main jaws c. As anactuating device for the levers e I have herein shown a sleeve 0 mountedto slide vertically on a post 0 (see Figs. 3 and 8) and having fourradiallyextended arms 0 provided with bifurcated ends, and the lowerends of the actuating-levers e are curved or provided with curvedengaging portions 6 e and said lower ends extend down between thebifurcated ends of the arms 6 and each arm has two transverse pins 6 6with or without rolls thereon, which engage the curved engaging portionsof the actuating-levers. Asthesleevee is moveddownward the pins 6" willengage the curved engaging portions 0 of the several actuating-levers,and thereby move said levers in such manner as to move the several jawsinward to engage the seaming-flange, andas said sleeve is moved upwardthe pins 6 will engage the curved engaging portions 6 of the severalactuatinglevers, and thereby move said levers in such manner as to movethe several jaws outward to disengage the seaming-flange. The sleeve 6has a diametrically-disposed cross-band,

with the body, the next operation is to draw outward the seaming-flange,together with the upper end of the flangeless body, and to accomplishthis result the center head is provided with a set of expanding dieswhich move outward and draw the seaming-flange while the latter is heldby the main and auxiliary jaws, the former nipping the extreme edge ofthe portion Z2 and holding it firm with an unyielding pressure and thelatter gradually yielding as the dies expand. The auxiliary jaws thuscooperate with the drawingdies in drawing out the flange. Four expandingdies f (see Fig. 10) are employed to form a complete set, and they aremade as plates having hardened steel'angularly-formed engaging edges orfaces and also having guidef slots f for the pins 2, which latter serveas guides for the dies whereby the several dies move outward radiallyfrom a common center. The several dies f are provided at their adjoiningedges with several snail-grooves f formed atthe bottom of a recess,which latter contains a snail-platefi the ribs of which fit the groovesformed in the dies, and said snailplate f is rigidly secured to an arborf which extends up through the stem ofthe center head, and to the upperend of said arbor an arm f is secured, to which one end of a link f isattached, the opposite end of which is connected to one arm, of abellcrank lever, the other arm, f, of said lever being connected by alink f with the outer endof a lever f pivoted at f, the inner end ofsaid lever having a pin, with or withouta roll thereon, which engages agroove of a cam f secured to a shaft f which has a pinion f secured toit, which is engaged and driven by a pinion f on the main shaft at. Asthe cam f revolves the lever f will be moved up and .down on its pivot,and. the arbor f will be oscillated and the snailplate correspondinglymoved and the several dies thereby positively moved in and out. Theparts are so timed that the expanding dies move outward whilethe mainand auxiliary jaws remain in their inward positions, sothat astheseaming-flange on the head and the inclosed portion of the flangelessbody is drawn outward by said expanding dies the main jaws will nip andcontinue to positively hold the extreme edge of the portion 5 of theseaming-flange, and the auxiliary jaws will be caused to yield by theaction of the expanding dies, gradually moving outward in' unison withthe expanding dies. The auxiliary jaws, it will be observed, cooperatewith the expanding dies in drawing out the flange.

Referring to Figs. 14 and 16, the fiangeless body is shown having ahead-thereon which is provided with aseaming-flange, and in thiscondition the article is conveyed to the first head or seam formingdevice.

Fig. 17 represents the seam after the main and auxiliary jaws have beenthrust inward, the portion 5 of the seaming-flange being pressed intofirm engagement with the body.

Fig. 18 represents the seaming-flange on the head, together with theupper end of the flangeless body as it is being drawn out to form theoutwardly-extended flange, (shown in Fig. 19,) the extreme edge of theportion 6 being held by the main jaw and the auxiliary jaw yielding asthe expanding dies move outward. The body, with the head attachedthereto by the partially formed seam, as shown in Fig. 19, is thendisengaged by the first heading or seam-forming device and by means ofthe feed-chain a is conveyed to the next heading or seam-forming device.

The second heading or seam-forming device is constructed and arranged tobend and draw down the seaming-flange and inclosed end portion of thebody from the position shown in Fig. 19 to the position shown in Fig.20. This second heading or seam-forming device (see Figs. 11, 15, and22) is constructed in many respects similar to the first heading orseamforming device.

0 represents the platen, which is made yielding, as in the aforesaidheading device, and which normally occupies a position in a hole orrecess in the table and which is operated by a cam similar to the cam 0(shown in Fig. 3) to raise the article up against the center head. Thecenter head consists, essentially, of a center plate 11, attached to astern a", projecting up through the center of a stem f and a spiralspring d encircles said stem 2', which is contained in a recess in thestem and which bears upon the center plate, tending to thrust itdownward. The center plate t'has two or more guide-pins 91 which pass upthrough the die j and supporting-plate which serve to steady the centerplate 2'. The center plate therefore exerts a yielding pressure on thehead of the article. The die is made as a recessed plate having theinner side or face of its marginal projection inclined corresponding tothe angle it is designed to give to the flange of the seam. The die j issecured by screws or otherwise to a supporting-plate j, which is formedon the stemj. The stem is moved vertically to thrust the die j down ontothe seaming-flange of the article,and to accomplish this result one endof a pivoted lever j 3 engages said stem, and the opposite end thereofhas loosely connected to it the upper end of a rod which passes downthrough a hole in the table 0 and bears at its lower end a pin, with orwithout a roll thereon, which engages a cam 7' secured to the shaft Assaid shaft revolves the die will be moved up and down. The secondheading or seam-forming device also has a set of jaws h, similar to themain jaws 6, therebeing foursuch jaws l1. provided in the set, and eachjaw it is formed at its engaging edge with an upwardly-extendingprojection or rib h, having a vertical engaging face and also aninclined face upon which the seamingflange is pressed. One of said jawsis represented in Fig. 23. These four jaws 71/ are moved toward and fromthe center head by pivoted actuating-levers similar to theactuating-levers a. The article placed on the platen is raised intoengagement with the yielding center plate. Then the jaws it are movedinward into engagement with the article, the upper ends of the ribs /1.'just nipping the narrow edge of the portion 7) of the seaming-flange, soas to hold said edge as the seaming-flange is subsequentlydrawirdown.\Vhile the jaws are held in this position, acting to nip, and therebyhold, said narrow edge, the die 3' is depressed and the seaming-flangedrawn down. On the return movementoi the parts the die first disengagesthe seamingflange, and as it rises the article is raised bodily byreason of the yielding platen upon which it is supported acting againstthe yielding center plate, and when said article has been raised highenough for the flange to occupy a plane above the top of the rib It thejaws it are moved outward, and, lastly, the platen is caused to descendand disengage the article. The article with the seam formed as shown inFig. 20 is then conveyed to the third and last heading or seam-formingdevice and the seam finished, as shown in Fig. 21. The third and lastheading device consists, cssentially, of a yielding platen similar tothe platen 0 and a center head consisting of a center plate 70, securedto a supporting-plate Z by screws or otherwise, having a stem 5'. Thearticle having been deposited upon the platen by the feed-chain n, saidplaten is raised and the article brought up against the center head.Then a set of jaws 111., similar in contour to the jaws h, are movedinto engagement with the flange of the seam and the flange pressedfirmly into engagement with the body, and then the seam is severelycompressed. The jaws m slide in ways provided for them and are connectedto toggle-levers m, and rods of are connected to said togglelevers, thelower ends of which are connected to the extremities of the bifurcatedarms m which are constructed similar to the arms a and which areoperated in substantially the same manner. The seam having been thusseverely coinpresseththe narrow edge of the portion Z2 of theseaming-flange, which is contained within the folds of the scam, acts tocrowd the inner folds in such manner as to offectually close allcrevices or recesses. The

article is then discharged from the machine. Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a machine for end-seaming sheet-metal bodies, a heading devicecomprising a platen, means for moving it, a center head, a set of mainjaws, and a set of auxiliary jaws above said main jaws, springsconnected at one end with the main jaws and the opposite end with theauxiliary jaws for projecting said auxiliary jaws beyond the main jaws,and means for moving said main and auxiliary jaws toward and from thecenter head, substantially as described. a

2. In a machine for end-seaming sheet-metal bodies, a heading devicecomprising a platen, means for moving it, a center head, a set of mainjaws, means for moving them toward and from the center head, and aset ofyielding aux- 'iliary jaws located above said main jaws, substantiallyas described.

3. In a machine for end-seaming sheet-metal bodies, a heading devicecomprisinga platen,

means for moving it, a center head, a set of main jaws, means for movingthem toward and from the center head, and a set of yielding auxiliaryjaws borne by said main jaws, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for end-seaming sheet-metal bodies, a heading devicecomprising aplaten,

means for moving it, a center head, a set of main jaws, a set ofauxiliary jaws, means for moving said main and auxiliary jaws toward andfrom the center head, a set of expanding dies borne by the center head,and means for moving said dies toward and from the jaws, substantiallyas described.

5. In a machine for end-seaming sheet-metal bodies, a heading devicecomprising a platen,

means for moving it, a center head, a set of.

of main jaws, aset of yielding auxiliary jaws.

borne by said main jaws, means for moving said main jaws toward and fromthe center head,a set of expanding dies borne by the center head whichoccupy a plane above the main jaws, and means formoving said diesoutward against the auxiliary jaws while the main jaws remain in theirabnormal position, substantially as described. a

7. In a machine for end-seaming sheet-metal bodies, aheading devicecomprising a platen,

. means for moving it, a center head, a set of expanding dies borne bysaid head having dies, and means for oscillating said snail-plate,substantially as described.

8. In a machine for end-seaming sheet-metal bodies, a heading devicecomprising a platen, a center head having a yielding center plate and aforming-die, means for operating said die, and a set of jaws movabletoward and a sliding actuating device which engages the curved engagingportions of said levers and moves said levers on their pivots and meansfor moving said actuating device, substantially as described.

10. In a machine for end-seaming sheetmetal bodies, the combination withmeans for holding the body and unattached head thereon, of a set ofhorizontally-sliding jaws, pivoted actuating levers connected therewithhaving curved engaging portions at their lower ends, a slidingsupportbe'aring several radial arms having bifurcated ends bearingtransverse pins, which engage the curved engaging portions of saidlevers and move said levers on their pivots, and means for moving saidsupport, substantially'as described.

11. In a machine for'end-seaming sheetmetal bodies, the combination withmeans for holding the body and head thereon, of a set ofhorizontally-sliding jaws, toggle-levers connected therewith, rodsconnected to said toggle-levers, and a sliding actuating devicesubstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thls specification 1n thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

, MICHAEL J. KENNY. Witnesses:

. B. J. NoYEs,

H. B. DAVIS.

